Ribbon-reversing mechanism



3 Sheets-Sheet l M. c. CRAWLEY RIBBONv REVERS ING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 29. 1917 March 4 1924,

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M.-c. CRAWLEY RIBBON REVERS ING MCHANI SM Filed Aug. 29. 1917 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Marsh 1924, @M5365 M. C. CRAWLEY RIBBON REVERSING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 2.9. 1917 3 sheets-sheet 5 'ramas are.' e, rene.

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EHLNBFIMJD C. CRAWLEY, OF RUTHSEBFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOB T0 DDOGRFE COMPANY, F LGS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 0F CALIFORNIA.

RIBBON-.REVERSING MECHANISFE.

Application led August 29, 1917. Serial. No. 188,773..

To all 'whom tf/nay concern:

Be it known that l, MANsrmLD C. CRAW- LEY, a citizen `of the United States of America, and a resident of Rutherford, county of Bergen, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Ribbon-Reversing Mechanisms, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

This invention-has relation particularly to that class of reversing mechanisms in which the reversing is accomplished by means of buttons or other obstructions attached to the ribbon in such position that upon exhaustion of the ribbon from one o the spools,.the mechanism will be operated by one of the buttons and thus bring about a reverse movement of the ribbon; and the object of the present invention is to produce a simple, reliable and durable mechanism whose essential feature lies in the fact that the greater part of the work of reversing the ribbon-driving gearing is put upon theI writing mechanism rather than upon the ribbon, whereby theribbon .will be saved from undue strains tending to tear and curl or otherwise injure. it, as more fully -herei'nafter setforth. y t

The ribbon mechanism herein shown and described possesses certain features in common with the ribbon mechanism forming the subject matter of my .Patent No. 1,455,110, dated May 15, 1923, wherein such common subject matter is broadly claimed, the present application being subordinate to said patent.

In the drawings- Fig.- 1 is'a plan view of a portion of a typewriting machine of the type illustrated in my reissued Letters Patent No. 15,640, reissued July 3, 1923, and my Patent No. 1,455,112, issued May 15,1923;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig.1;

Fi 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectlonal view on the:

purpose of supporting and guiding the lever v26 in its horizontal oscillations.

line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig-5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal` sectional view ein the line 6 6 of Fig. 8; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the parts in another position; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings annexed lby reference characters, 10 designates the two spools, 11 the usual ribbon, 12 the usual buttons or other protuberances or obstructions attached to the ribbon, one near each of its ends, 13 the vertical shafts carrying the spools, 14 the bevel-gears on the lower ends of said shafts, and 15 the driving-shaft carrying bevel-gears 16 adapted to alternatel mesh. with the gears 14. The driving-sha 15 is driven through the medium of any suitable mechanism operable by the writing mechanism, whether that mechanism be operated manually or by power. ll have shown thisl shaft 15 as being operated by a ratchet-wheel 17 affixed to v4the shaftv and adapted to be given a step-by-step movement by means .of the ratchet-arm 18, this arm 18 being connected by means of the link 19 to a depending arm 20 carried by rock-shaft 21. rlhe rock-shaft 21 is operatedvin any suitable manner, preferably .by

connecting it with the link -22 of an oscillating frame adapted 'for use in a power machine, such as illustrated in my reissued Letters Patent No. 15,640 and my Patent No. 1,455,112, hereinbefore referredA to.

`Each of thebuttons 12 is adapted to contact with the upper end of a lever 23 when one of the spools becomes exhausted of rib'- bon, and pivotally suspended on the lower ends of these levers 23 is a rod 24, thisrod 24 being bowed downwardly to bring its mid-length portion near to the shaft 15.

.Fivotally connected to this downwardlybowed part is a link 25 which extends approximately 'horizontally toward the left and has its free end pivotally connected to the free end of a short lever 26 which has its forward bifurcated end connected tev a stationary part 27 of the frame by pivots 28 whosel axes are vertically coincident. The bifurcated parts of the lever 26 fit closely against the respective upper and. lower sides of the two frame-plate members 27 for the Fiyoted to the adjacentfaces of the stationary plates 27 are the rearwardly-extending arms 29 of a short lever which carries a lineages collar 31 amxed to the driving-shaft 15, the connection between the parts 29 and the plates 27 consisting of a pair of vertical pivots 32 whose axes are vertically coincident. rllhe liorlred members 29 nt closely against the adjacent faces ot the two stationary plates 27 for the urpose oil ease and accuracy ot movement el the fork-carrying lever and the axes ot the pivots 32 are arranged direct-ly in the rear of the axes of the pivots 23. Connecting the forked lever 29-30, at a point forward of its pivotal point 32, to the rear end of the lever 26 is a retractile coil-spring 33.

Aiixed to the driving-shaft 15 is another collar 34 having an annular V-shaped Hangs 35, and arranged to press against one or t e other of the beveled sides of the Hangs 35 is the V-shaped nose 36 carried at the end ot the' flat spring 37 aiiixed'to an adjacent part of the frame.

'llhe drivin ,-shaft 15 issupported so as to have a limite endwise movement in its bearing, and the two driving-gears 16 will be so positioned with respect to cach other that when one is in englagement with the spooldriving gear 1t, t e other gear 16 will be out ot engagement. 1n Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the gears 1t and 16 at the left are held in engagement by the pressure of the springs 33 and 37; that is to say, nose 36 is pressing against the right-hand beveled lace of ange 35, andthe levers 26 and 29 are shitted to their left-hand positions to position coil-spring 33 to the left of the center of pivots 32, to thus cause said spring 33 to exert a constant but light pull tow-ard the left. The parts remain in this position until the ribbon-button shifts the bar Qtto the right, whereupon the levers 26 and 29 are shifted to cause the spring 33 to exert a tendency, through the fork 30 and collar 31, toward the right. The parts are then in the position illustrated in Fig, 1, this action not having shifted the driving-shaft cndwisely, since the pull of the spring 33 toward the right is not sufficient to cause ythe bevelcollar 35 to pass by the bevel-nose 36 but simply partially equalizes thethrust thereof. Thus .weakening the action of spring 37 leaves the lshalt ready to be moved toward the right by the exertion of a light endwise pressure on the shaft. The pressure necessary to give the shaft the initial or demeshing endwise movement required to reverse the gearing is obtained from the writing mechanism controlled by the keyboard, for, as soon as driving-shaft 15 is rotated after such wealtening of the resistance of spring 37, the usual thrust action occurring between the v gears 111 and 16 that are in mesh will canse the shaft to move endwisely toward the ri ht with suicient force to cause the bevel-co ar 35 to pass over the spring-nose 36 and thus deinesh said gears; and when the central ridge ont the collar 35 has thus passed the point of the spring-nose, both this s ,pring- -I nose and the coil-spring 33 will then cornbine'in thrusting the shaft toward the right and in that way bring about meshing of the gears 14 and 16 at the right-hand side of the machine.

-lt should be'understood 'thatv when the long rod 2t and its attached levers 23 are thrown by the button 12 on the ribbon, the coil-sprin 33 pulls the rod far enough in the direction of the throw to carry the split or forked end of the active lever 23 an appreciable distance from the button, so that the subsequent feed of the 4ribbon will not bring the button again into contact with the Jforked lever. lin considering the demeshing operation which takes place with the next operation oi" the ribbon-feed shaft 15 after the little coil-spring 33 is shifted over center, it should be borne in mind that the action of the drive-shaft 15 is intermittent, this being due to the fact that this shaft is given a step-by-step rotation by the usual ratchet mechanism. rllhis sharp quick rotation of the drive-shaft 15 ensures a complete demeshing of the gear 16 from its companion gear 14:, since the inertia of the spool-shaft and the drag of the ribbon will be suiiicient under the circumstances to cause the necessary end-thrust.

llt will thus be seen that all the work that the ribbon does is to shift the levers 26 and 29 to carry the coil-spring 33 over the center of the pivots 32, thus putting the parts in position to bring about a reversing of the gearing when the ratchet. mechanism propelling the shaft 15 is operated from the keyboard. llt will thus be seen that the work that is thrust upon the ribbon is of such a lightnature that it may be performed many times without tearing or straining the ribbon in any way. s

What ll claim is:

1. The combination Vof a pair of ribbon spools and two sets of gears for respectively driving said spools, two springs for norym'ally holding either set of gears in mesh,

means-operated by the movement of the ribbonor reversing the tendency of one of Said springs to cause it to neutralize the e'ect of t e other spring and to cooperate with the thrust of the gears to reverse the tendenc of. the other spring and to thereby unmes one set of gears and bring the other set of gears. 'into engagement.

2. lin ycomblnation with a pair of ribbon spools, two sets of gears respectively drivin said spools, two springs for normally ho ding either set of gears in mesh,means operated by the movement of the ribbon for ,reversing the tendency of. one of said springs, and means whereby the thrust oi the enmeshed gears will reverse the tendency of the other spring and thereby throw one ics 'les

epee

set of gears out of mesh and the other set of gears into mesh, the two springs then servingl to yieldingly holdthe latter gears 1n mes 3. The combination of a pair of ribbon spools, shafts for saidspools, a gear on each of said shafts, an endwisely movable drive shaft provided with gears adapted to alternately mesh with the gears of the spool shafts, means for rotating the drive shaft, two springs for holding either set of gears in mesh, means operated by the movement of the ribbon for reversing the tendency of one of said springs, means whereby the thrust of the enmeshed gears will reverse the tendency of the other spring whereby said springs when reversed will move the shaft endwisely to throw one setv of gears out of mesh and the other set of gears into mesh.

4f. The combination of ribbon spools, shafts therefor, an endwisely movable drive shaft, two sets of gears on the spool shafts and drive shaft, a beveled collar on the drive shaft, a spring provided with abeveled nose adapted to engage either of the surfaces of the beveled collar on the drive shaft, a spring device, and means operated by the movement of the ribbon to shift said spring device to cause .it to oppose the action of the spring bearing on the said beveled collar.

5. The combination of an endwisely movable drive shaft, ribbon moving means operated by said drive shaft, a grooved collar on said shaft, a lever engaging said collar, a spring connected to said lever, said spring tending to move the shaft in one direction, ribbon operated means for reversing the tendency of said spring to thereby tend to move the drive shaft in the opposite direction, and means whereby the end thrust on the drive shaft cooperating with the said spring will shift said shaft to reverse the ribbon driving means.

6. A. ribbon reversing mechanism embodying two sets of gearsfo'r alternately driving the ribbonv in opposite directions, a spring4 means embodying' two springs one tending. to cause one or the other set4 of gears to normally engage, and means connecting the other spring with the ribbon andoperated by the movement of the ribbon to either oppose or augment the action of the said first- "mentioned spring.

7. A ribbon reversing mechanism comprising a pair of ribbon spools, shafts for said spools, a gear on each of said shafts, an endwisely movable drive shaft provided with gears adapted to alternately mesh with the gears of the spool shafts, means for rotating the drive shaft, a grooved collar on said shaft, a beveled'collar 'on said shaft, spring devices engaging said collars, ribbon-actuated means for reversing the tendency of one of said spring devices, the other spring ydevice being, reversed by thrust action of the gears in mesh. v

8. A ribbon reversing mechanism comprising a pair of ribbon spools, shafts for said spools, a gear on each of said shafts, an endwisely movable drive shaft provided with gears adapted to alternately mesh with the gears of the spool shafts, means for rotating the drive shaft, a grooved collar on said shaft, a beveled collar on said shaft, a spring having a V-shaped nose adapted to bear against either face of the beveled collar, a pivoted lever engaging the grooved collar, a second pivoted lever, means connecting the free end of said second lever to the ribbon, a spring connecting said two levers together whereby the movement of the ribbon will move the connected lever and thereby reverse the tendency of the spring connected thereto to oppose the tendency of the spring engaging the beveled collar.

9. 'ln a typewriting machine, ribbon-driving mechanism embodying a set of beveled gears for driving each spool, thrust means for holding either set of gears in mesh against their inherent tendency to demesh, and means operated by the ribbon for sufficiently weakening the thrust-action to permit the gears to demesh through their own inherent thrust action when they are operated in the usual manner through the medium of the writing mechanism, said latter means embodying devices whereby when said gears are demeshed the other set of gears will be automatically meshed.

10. n a typewriting machine, the combination of a pair of spools for the ribbon, key-controlled means for rotating said spools to move the ribbon, spring means for holding the spool-rotating means in operative position, and ribbon-actuated means for reversin the action of a part of said spring means, t ve key-operated means reversing the action of the other part of said spring means to thereby complete the reversal of the ribbon moving means. I

11. n a typewriting machine, a reversible ribbon-driving mechanism, power means controlled by the writing mechanism of the machine for intermittently actuating the driving mechanism, reversible spring means for rendering the power means effective to reverse the direction of feed, a pair of members actuated by abutments on the ribbon and operatively connected to said spring means to move the same to a position in which the completion of the reversal of the spring means is eected by its own spring, the active member being movable by said spring means away from the active abutment during the final movement of the spring means.

12. In a typewriting machine, a ribbondriving-and-reversing mechanism embodying .a pair of ribbon-control y members 'the reversing action from power adapted to be actuated by abntments on the ribbon, spring means for partially reversing the reversing mechanism, and devices in the ribbon-'driving mechanism for com leting erived from the Writing mechanism of the machine, said s ring means acting at the moment of parta ly reversin the mechanism to carry said ribbon-contro member a distance from its companion abutment, whereby further movement ot the ribbon in the same direction for a limited distance required for compieting the reversai action will not bring said abutment again into contact with said member.

v i3. iin a typevvriting machine, a ribbondrivin and-reversing mechanism actuated from o structions on the ribbon embodying spring means to normally hold the driving inname l mechanism in either oi? its driving positions, means actuated from either ot said obstructions on the ribbon for partially reversing the tendency of said spring means, the conipietion of the reversing action of the .ribbonn driving mechanism being obtained by further movement of the ribbon-driving mechanism in the same direction, the construction of the partial-reversing mecha nism bein -suchthat the actuating member of the rib ori-actuating devices is moved a distanceA from the obstruction on the ribbon, whereby a limited continued movement of the ribbon in the same direction may be had Without bringing said obstruction again into contact with said actuating member.

This specification signed this twenty seventh day of Au st A. D. 1917,

MAN FiELD C. CRAWLEY. 

